Archive for the ‘NiCd/NiMH Batteries’ Category

The 1.2V AAA 1000 mAh GP NiMH batteries we test here are of the standard NiMH type and are rated at 1000 mAh typical capacity and 930 mAh minimum guaranteed. Our experience so far with GP batteries has shown that some models are performing great while others not so well, so it will be interesting to see to which group we can add these batteries. So time to start the testes…

As we usually do we have started the test of the 1.2V AAA 1000 mAh GP NiMH batteries with a low constant current discharge rate of 0.1A and the result we got was 1085 mAh and that is pretty impressive for a battery rated at 1000 mAh. Going further with a load of 0.2A and we managed to get 1005 mAh which is still over the typical rating of these batteries, and with even higher load we still manage to get good results, though not that impressive as at 0.5A we are are a below the minimum rating. Still we are seeing very good performance from the 1.2V AAA 1000 mAh GP NiMH batteries.

The 1.2V AAA 840 mAh Maxell NiMH batteries are standard NiMH batteries and although their capacity rating may seem low at first there is something important that you should note about the rating. Most other NiMH battery manufacturers do list their product capacity ratings as typical values with large text and have a minimum value written somewhere with small text or not written at all. Unlike them Maxell has decided to list the minimum guaranteed capacity for their batteries as the actual battery capacity, so the 840 mAh rating here is the minimum guaranteed one, not the typical and there isn’t a typical rating written anywhere. So it will be quite interesting for us to see what is the actual performance of these Maxell AAA NiMH batteries in our tests…

We have started the test of the 1.2V AAA 840 mAh Maxell NiMH batteries as we normally do with a low constant current discharge rate of 0.1A and the result we got was 1048 mAh as capacity, a surprisingly high result. We’ve seen other brand name AAA batteries rated at 1000 mAh to provide such capacities and these batteries form Maxell are rated as 840 mAh minimum capacity, so they are obviously able to provide significantly higher capacity as their typical rating. GOing with higher constant current load even at 0.5A these batteries still do manage to provide a bit over their rated minimum capacity and that is a great performance. We are really impressed with the results and Maxell could’ve easily rated these batteries with a typical capacity of 1000 mAh as they are clearly showing results similar to those of good quality 1000 mAh AAA NiMH products.

The 1.2V AAA 1000 mAh Xcell NiMH batteries are standard non low self discharge NiMHs and although rated with some of the highest capacities for AAA NiMHs we have our doubts that they will be able to provide 1000 mAh. We’ve already seen that Xcell’s AA NiMH batteries are rated higher than what they actually can provide, so we are expecting to see similar results here with the AAA NiMH batteries from Xcell.

We have started the test of the 1.2V AAA 1000 mAh Xcell NiMH batteries as we normally do with a low constant current discharge rate of 0.1A and the result we got was 859 mAh as capacity, or quite a bit below their rated 1000 mAh capacity. We can’t say we did not expect to see something like that, though looking at the performance of these Xcell AAA NiMH batteries with increased constant current load they do manage to perform good. So if they were rated at 850 mAh instead of 1000 mAh they would’ve not only meet their rating, but also perform great for 850 mAh rating. In the end if you want higher capacity 1000 mAh AAA NiMH batteries then you better look at some other products that are actually able to deliver.